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Amazon Package Reported Missing? What Next?

An Amazon missing package shouldn’t be the problem of the FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon) seller. Amazon does reimburse you if it determines a claim of an Amazon missing package is legitimate and issues the customer a refund. Just as the customer isn’t held responsible for a missing package, it’s not your fault either. It’s Amazon’s. 

But, it can still be a problem for you. That’s because a lost package can affect your reviews. A quick response to satisfy the customer, however, can guard against negative reviews for a delivery issue that isn’t your fault.

Another problem is that while the customer gets a refund for the Amazon missing package claim, you are not automatically reimbursed by Amazon for an issue outside of your control. 

You need to file for reimbursement.

So what do you do if a customer submits an Amazon missing package claim and how do you ensure you are reimbursed for any Amazon refunds to that customer?

Let’s take a look at: 

  • The Amazon Missing Package Claim
  • How to respond when a customer submits an Amazon missing package claim 
  • How to file for Amazon FBA reimbursement
  • How to ensure you receive all reimbursements due to refunds for Amazon missing package claims 

The Amazon Missing Package Claim

Stuff happens. Amazon processes billions of orders. So sometimes, for whatever reasons, packages are lost. 

Customer satisfaction is paramount. The Amazon A-to-Z Guarantee spells out when a customer is eligible to request a refund for an Amazon missing package. Basically, that’s when an item hasn’t been received in three days of a delivery date. Depending on who the seller is, buyers must submit a claim within 15 to 90 days from the stated delivery date.

Once the Amazon missing package claim is processed and  approved, the customer is reimbursed. The Amazon FBA seller can then file for FBA reimbursement to recover funds. 

How to Respond to an Amazon Missing Package Claim 

Customers contact the seller first about an Amazon missing package claim.  Dealing quickly and professionally with Amazon missing package claims helps ensure customer satisfaction, which affects your reviews and repeat business. 

While the immediate inclination might be to blame Amazon for the problem, even though the blame is with Amazon, it serves no useful purpose. The customer doesn’t care who is to blame. The customer just wants the problem solved. It’s still your job to fix it.

What you need to do when a customer claims an Amazon missing package, you need to:

  • Reply within 48 hours of email receipt
  • Ask the customer to verify the 17-digit order number of the Amazon missing package; this is particularly important as the order number corresponds to your FNSKU inventory maintained by Amazon and provides evidence that the lost claim is Amazon’s responsibility
  • Express your disappointment and sympathy about the missing package
  • Explain how the customer can submit an Amazon claim for a missing package
  • Promptly send a replacement package if requested; follow up to tell the customer when the replacement package is shipped
  • As with all customer communications, ensure your response is professional and polite and that you are as clear and helpful as possible

Note that in the event the customer does not feel you have provided a satisfactory response, or that you have not responded at all, the customer can then proceed to contact Amazon directly about the issue as part of the A-to-Z guarantee. Needless to say, this serves only to antagonize the customer and Amazon. 

When to File for Amazon FBA Reimbursement

Once Amazon approves a refund, or you send a replacement product for no charge, you can file for Amazon FBA Reimbursement.

To file for reimbursement: 

  1. Log into your  Seller Central Account
  2. Click Reports
  3. Click Fulfillment
  4. On the left-hand side, click Inventory Adjustments
  5. Enter the required information in the window
  6. Create a case file

How to Ensure You Receive Full Reimbursement of Amazon Missing Package Claims

Sounds simple enough, right. Well it is simple if you have only a few SKUs. Not so simple if you are an Amazon FBA seller managing an extensive inventory of multiple SKUs. 

Amazon processes an immense number of claims, not just for missing packages, but also for packages that are damaged or stolen. The process is not always perfect. An Amazon FBA seller managing extensive inventory and satisfying significant order quantities can easily lose track of owed but unissued reimbursements. And these owed reimbursements can just as easily add up over time.

And, by the way, it’s not just reimbursement for Amazon missing package refunds that often get “lost in the wash.” Amazon does lose or damage your inventory. Items reported as returned are not always actually back in your inventory.  

You are entitled for reimbursement for all of these, and actually much more that you may be unaware of unless you regularly conduct inventory audits for just these kinds of errors.

In fact, unrecovered Amazon FBA fee reimbursement can average as much as 3% of your annual revenue. If you have thousands of dollars of sales every year, do the math: even 1% of unfilled reimbursements represents significant lost revenue. 

How do you ensure you recover what you are owed?

You have enough work on your hands running your Amazon business; do you really have more time to continually track your inventory?

A software service designed specifically to track Amazon FBA inventory and reimbursements, combined with a dedicated case manager can help ensure you get the reimbursements you are owed.

GETIDA auditing software keeps track of your Amazon FBA inventory transactions, refunds, seller data analytics, and FBA reimbursements easily and clearly. An easy-to-read dashboard displays robust analytics to help you fully understand what we are doing on a daily basis.

Equally important, dedicated case managers with Amazon experience follow up on FBA reimbursement claims on your behalf. They help ensure you get back what you are owed.

GETIDA makes the process of claiming Amazon fee reimbursement easy. So easy it’s free to use.  There is no commitment and no monthly fee. And there is free consulting on how best to improve your Amazon business. GETIDA charges a service only when a claim we file is successfully reimbursed. Get $400 in Free Amazon Seller Refunds with GETIDA.